Puzzle box



Jan. 8, 193,5.

PUZZLE BOX Filed Feb. 24, 1933 Patented Jan. 8, 1935 V,Uur-FED STATESPATENT oFFi-CE r 1,987,496 .t l

PUZZLE Box y Bruno Springborn, New York, N. Y. Application February 24,1933, Serial No. 658,300

7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in puzzle boxes.

The primary object of the invention resides -in a puzzle box or case inwhich puzzles of the jigsaw and other piece together styles may beworked and kept in assembled or partially assembled condition whilecarried from place to place.

It is the present practice in the solving of jigsaw and other likepuzzles to spread the puzzle pieces upon a flat surface and graduallyassemble the pieces to form the picture or design to be solved. Thisrequires a relativelylarge working area such as a table, and when suchan article of furniture is used, the same is unavailable for other usesuntil the puzzle is completed and disassembled. This invention aims toAprovide a compact case for the puzzle pieces; and a work surface for theassembling of the puzzle, the same serving when closed to prevent theshifting and separation of the assembled puzzle pieces when partiallycompleted, and it is desired to transport the puzzle from place toplace; Such a puzzle box when constructed in a small size will appeal totravelers, commuters, and other like persons engaged in moving fromplace to place as the box -is portable and may be conveniently carriedin the pocket or purse of the owner.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of a puzzle boxembodying a pair of vinteriitting box sections provided with innerlayers of friction material which serve to house vthe puzzle duringassembling when not being worked to preserve the order and arrangementof the assembled parts, there'being means in one of the sections tohouse the loose unassembled parts and keep them separate from thoseassembled.

A further object of the invention is the provision of apuzzle box havingthe aboveV features which is simple of construction, inexpensive ofmanufacture, compact when not in use, and which when in use may beextended to provide ample working surface for the laying out or groupingof the puzzle parts.

With these and other objects in view, the invention resides in thecertain novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, theessential features of which are hereinafter fully described, areparticularly pointed out in the appended claims, and are illustrated inthe accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the puzzle box opened for use.

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse sectional View through the puzzle boxin closed position.

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the box in closedposition.

Referring to the drawing by reference characters, the numeral 10designates my improved puzzle box in its entirety which includes a pairof separable complementary coacting sections in the form of a base orbody section 11, and a closure section 12 hinged to the back wall of thebody section as at 13 to permit of the swinging of the same to an openposition as shown in Figure 1,

or to a closed position as indicated in Figures 2 `and 3 of the drawing.The top fiatr wall of the y closure section 12 is provided on the insidethere- Iof with a layer ofy friction lining material 14, the

`bo'dy section v11 and disposed below the top edge thereof is a falsebottom or partition 16 which is parallel to the true bottom wall 1'7 ofthe box body. The upper flat-surface of the partition 16 is covered by alayer of friction liningy material 18 similar to the material 14provided on the inside of the cover section 12. The friction material 14and 18 may be felt, blotting paper, or other like'friction surfacematerial for a purpose to be readily explained.

Slidably mountedl in the space `between the partition wall 16 and thebottom 17 of the box body Yis aftray or drawer 19, the same beingextendable beyond the open end 15 as shown in Figure 1 of the drawing.The outer end ofthe drawer being provided with a flexible finger tab 20to enable the sliding of the tray or drawer in and out of the box body.

This puzzle box is especially adapted for use in connection rwithjig-saw or other piece together puzzles, and the flatbottom of the trayor drawer 19 may rcontain a picture 21 of the puzzle to besolved inorder to guide a person in the assembling of the pieces. Normally thepuzzle pieces22 are stored or housed within the drawer .19 and when thesaid drawer is closed and the closure member 12 is -swung to a positionover thebody section 11,. the said drawer. is held `againstoutwardsliding by reason ofone of side walls vof the closure sectionoverlying. the outer end wall of the drawer, this being clearly shown inFigure 3 of the drawing. Thus whenthe closure member 12 is in closedposition, the drawer 'I the cover section is swung to an open positionsubstantially horizontal and on the same plane as the body section 11,the said cover section being limited in its movement to an open positionby reason of the adjacent walls of the cover section and body sectionengaging. The drawer 19 is next pulled to an open position to expose thepuzzle pieces 22 which may be picked up andgrouped within the coversection 12, the surface 14 acting as a working surface to enable thegrouping of the parts, after which the puzzle pieces are placed on thefriction surface 18 in their proper assembled relation. The saidfriction surface preventing accidental shifting of the puzzle piecesduring assembling. Assume that part of the puzzle has been piecedtogether as shown in Figure 1 of the drawing and it is desired topreserve that portion of the puzzle which has been assembled. The userplaces the unassembled puzzle pieces 22 back into the drawer or tray 19and closes the said drawer after which the cover section 12 is swung toa closed position and the elastic member 22 passed over the cover andbody section. The space between the friction surfaces 14 and 18 when thecover section is in closed position is approximately the same orslightly less .than the thickness of the puzzle pieces in order that thetwo friction surfaces `14 and 18 serve to yieldingly clamp the partiallyassembled puzzle against accidental shifting or separation. Thus a boxconstructed in accordance with `the invention on a relatively smallscale can vbe carried in the pocket of a person and worked upon duringspare moments, or when it is desired to pass away the time. Puzzles putup in boxes of this construction will appeal to commuters and travelersas it is possible to transport a partially cornpleted puzzle from placeto place without disturbing the arrangement of the assembled pieces. Thedevice if' constructed in accordance with the invention on. a largerscale will enable the working of puzzles within the confines of the boxand dispense with the monopolizing of tables or other like articles offurniture.

When breaking up the assembled puzzle, the puzzle pieces 22 may be slidover the open side of the surface 18, with the drawer 19 in an openposition, whereupon the pieces will drop into the drawer. Thiseliminates the individual picking up of the puzzle pieces andthe placingof the same into the drawer.

While I have shown and described what I deem to be the most desirableembodiment of my invention, I wish it to be understood that certainchanges that come Within the scope of the appended claims may beresorted to if desired.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, isz- 1. A puzzle boxcomprising a pair of complementary box sections having parallel fiatinner surfaces when positioned one over the other in closed position andbetween which the assembled pieces of a pieced together puzzle areadapted to be arranged, and cooperating friction means on the opposedinner flat surfaces of said box sections for preventing the shifting orseparation of the assembled puzzle pieces when disposed therebetween.

2. A puzzle box comprising a pair of separable box sections fitting oneagainst the other when closed and having flat inner sides, the innersides of said box sections being disposed in spaced parallel relationwhen closed andprovided with linings of friction material, the innerflat lined side of one of the box sections constituting a workingsurface on which puzzle pieces may be assembled and held againstaccidental movement, the linings of friction materials serving to securethe assembled piecesagainst shifting when the box secticnsare closed oneagainst the other.

3. A puzzle box comprising a base section having a flat inner surface onwhich puzzle pieces are adapted to be assembled, a closure sectionhaving a'flat inner surface, and means on the inner flat surfaces of thebase section and the closure section coacting when the closure sectionis in closed position over the base section with the flat inner surfacesin parallel relation for clamping assembled puzzle pieces therebetween.

4. A puzzle box comprising a base section having a nat inner surface onwhich puzzle pieces are adapted to be assembled, a closure sectionhaving a iiat inner surface, yieldable friction means on the inner flatsurfaces ofthe base section and the closure section coacting when theclosure section is in closed position over base section with the flatinner surfaces in parallel relation for clamping assembled puzzle.pieces therebetween.

5. A puzzle box comprising a pair of box'sections having inner flatsurfaces and adapted to t one over the other to dispose the inner 'flatsurfaces in parallel relation, and linings of friction material providedon the inner flat surfaces of the box sections, one of the lined innersurfaces of said box sections constituting a working surface on whichpuzzle pieces are adapted to be assembled, the space between the liningsof the bofx sections being the same or less height than the thickness ofthe assembled puzzle pieces.

6. A puzzle box comprising a pair of box secltions having innerlat'surfaces and adapted to nt one over the other to dispose the innerflat surfaces in parallel relation,"and linings of friction materialprovided on the inner at surfaces of the box sections, one of the linedinner surfaces of said box sections constituting a working surface onwhich puzzle pieces are adapted to be assembled, the space between thelinings of the box sections being the same or less height than thethickness of the assembled puzzle pieces, and releasable means forsecuring the sections in closed position.

'7. A puzzle box comprising a box body having a nat bottom, a lining offriction material on the inside of the at bottom, a iiat cover hinged tosaid box body, and a lining of friction material on the inside of thecover, the linings of friction material adapted to coact when the coveris in closed position for securing assembled puzzle pieces together whenarranged on the lined bottom of the box body and when said cover is inclosed position.

BRUNO SPRINGBORN.

